Online Summit To Help Churches Provide Spiritual, Emotional, and Practical Care in Response to COVID-19 and Beyond on April 30

WHEATON, Ill., April 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Humanitarian Disaster Institute (HDI) at Wheaton College has partnered with Food for the Hungry (FH), NavPress and Outreach, Inc. to help churches live a message of hope and care for neighbors, churches, communities and the world. Together, they will present the Spiritual First Aid Online Summit, a free one-day online event on Thursday, April 30. Registration is free at spiritualfirstaidsummit.com.

Available to access on or after April 30, the event will include messages from dynamic speakers, offer free tools, and share about catalytic initiatives designed to activate and support churches. Church leaders will hear practical ministry insights they can begin applying immediately.

Upon registering, summit-goers will receive access to a password-protected website with videos that can be viewed at their convenience. Those who register will also receive a free copy of the newly-released Spiritual First Aid Manual, a one-year subscription to Outreach Magazine, a free prayer course from N.T. Wright, and a promo code for a "Get One, Give One" initiative that is sending The Message of Hope to ministries on the frontline of disaster relief.

Confirmed speakers include:

• Kent Annan, M.Div., Director, Humanitarian and Disaster Leadership at Wheaton College's Humanitarian Disaster Institute
• Jamie Aten, Ph.D., Founder and Executive Director, Humanitarian Disaster Institute and Blanchard Chair, Humanitarian & Disaster Leadership at Wheaton College
• Jason Daye, Vice President, Outreach Inc., Executive Director, National Back to Church Sunday and Host, ChurchLeaders Podcast
• Mike Frost, Author, Speaker, Missiologist, and Agitator
• Jordan Gustafson, Sr. Manager of Church Mobilization, Food for the Hungry and Pastor
• Dennis Mahoney, Manager of Church Mobilization, Food for the Hungry
• Kara Powell, Ph.D., Executive Director, Fuller Youth Institute (FYI) and Faculty Member, Fuller Theological Seminary
• Dino Rizzo, Executive Director, ARC (Association of Related Churches), Missions and Outreach Pastor, Church of the Highlands
• Rick Rusaw, Christian Leader, Pastor, Author and Entrepreneur
• Pete Scazzero, Bestselling Author and Co-founder, Emotionally Healthy Discipleship
• Craig Springer, Executive Director, Alpha USA
• Danielle Strickland, Spiritual Leader, Justice Advocate, Communicator and Peacemaker
• Dr. Efrem Smith, Author, Speaker, and Co-lead Pastor of Bayside Church, Midtown
• N.T. Wright, One of the world's leading Bible scholars

Speakers will cover how to assess and address five core needs that the Humanitarian Disaster Institute has identified as critical in the wake of a disaster:

• Belonging Needs (relationships)
• Livelihood Needs (health, finances, resources, employment)
• Emotional Needs (mental health)
• Safety Needs (suicide, harm to self, threat to others, domestic violence)
• Spiritual Needs (faith, spiritual struggles, meaning-making, purpose)

Follow the hashtag #SpiritualFirstAid for event information, as well as for resources to help churches provide spiritual, emotional, and practical care in response to COVID-19 and beyond.

SOURCE Humanitarian Disaster Institute